Why Does Tiger Woods Need a Coach?

Because, even though he is the best golfer in the world, he cannot see his own swing. He needs coaches because he wants to remain a champion, even after a knee operation. He is a natural athlete, but has had coaching and mentoring since he was five. No champion reaches the top, even with a natural gift, without coaching and mentoring. If you don't have coaches and mentors, you will never unleash your true genius.

This seems obvious if you observe sports or the arts. There are no championship teams that reach the top without lots of coaching. Yet how many of us have coaches committed to our success? My guess is very few. I started out in life as the child of an immigrant attacked by my peers for being different, displaying learning disabilities and needing a coach to get through high school. Today I am an author, coach to Fortune 500 CEOs and leaders in all walks of life. Every step of the way I had a coach or, better said, many coaches, who cared enough about me to confront my ego and unleash my genius from the bonds of "needing to be right." I can remember when Larry Senn, the Founder and CEO of the leadership consulting firm I wanted to be partner in, said to the whole team,

"When Paul came to us he was a diamond in the very rough. He needed a lot of work. But because he is always open to coaching and feedback, I know that there is nothing I cannot teach him."

Even with this praise, my ego was saying that I was not that bad. I nearly got defensive in the face of a great complement. Our egos want to protect us even if who we are could be much better. I still seek coaching and mentoring, because like Tiger Woods, I want to stay on top of my game.

Ask yourself how many times you have felt the need to be right overwhelming your reason; if you are human it has been often. Our ego's function is to protect us from danger. Being right over the centuries has been important to human survival. It keeps us safe both physically and psychologically, but limits our growth. They don't pay Tiger Woods to be right. They pay him to win. Sometimes, even with a coach, we would rather be right than win. The feeling of fear from our ego's natural defense mechanism scars us, and we settle for the status quo. In a world where everything is expanding, new records are being set everyday and the economic rules are changing, remaining the same is going backwards. Bob Dylan said, "He who is not busy being born, is busy dying." If Tiger Woods settles for being not as good because of his knee injury, he will fade as other golfers pass him. But I am sure he will not settle.

Everyone, even the greatest saints, have an ego. The question we have to ask ourselves in each moment is, "Are our egos riding us, or are we riding our egos?" Most often, since there are few champions in the world, the fears from our egos are riding us. I have many coaches and mentors, and it is still hard to admit I am wrong, even when results seem to indicate that I am. I have learned to seek out coaching and mentoring even though the fears from my ego rage. Each release, as I transcend my fears, brings a more joyous and productive life. I have even learned to notice when my words or actions are going "clunk" so I can coach myself.

If you want to achieve the dreams that are whispering to you behind your fears, surround yourself with people who have the courage to coach you and always reach beyond your fear. You can't do it alone -- no one does.

Follow Paul David Walker on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulDavidWalker

Comments

[David Hurley]

Getting to the point where you realize you need a coach can be difficult... You have to accept that (1) you can be wrong (2) someone out there can help you, and (3) you need that help if you want to succeed...

Once you get that far, the next question is... "how do I find the right coach?" Any suggestions, Paul?

[Paul David Walker - Huffpost Blogger]

So true David, the right coach is key. It seems to me there are a lot of people who claim to be coaches who do not have the skills needed.

[EllenWB]

Great ideas, Paul! I loved what you said... "Ask yourself how many times you have felt the need to be right overwhelming your reason; if you are human it has been often. Our ego's function is to protect us from danger. Being right over the centuries has been important to human survival. It keeps us safe both physically and psychologically, but limits our growth." Wow! So true! Thanks, Ellen

[Paul Walker]

Thanks Ellen.

[QDP]

Noter: by the "Brat" comment I actually meant not the ice-cool gentleman Pete Sampras but Bork's nemesis John McEnroe- an equally gifted, superior champion. Mac was according to many un-coachable!
I apologize.

[Paul Walker]

"No champion reaches the top, even with a natural gift, without coaching and mentoring." Your example are of champions who never really reached their full potential. I have worked for 25 years with champion CEO's and all have had many coaches and mentors, so does Tiger. Check your facts and check into your own life.

[QDP]

Part 1

Whoa, Paul!

No, I think (and agree) that coaching is a valuable asset, but I'll take raw talent and self awareness over any words, or contribution by any observer- no matter how decisive or eloquent. Frankly, I think you wrote this, just for sake of an adversarial response...perhaps.

I think your ego took the front seat with your coaching comments! Seriously now, Tiger can make do with a video camera and some assistants. Enough with the idea he succeeded due to his coaches. Blasphemy!

Woods has a drive himself into a rigorous practice discipline in order to excel. His ability from youth forward, was his individual drive. This is not coached, this is his nature. He has mastered eye hand coordination, and the motivational aspects of winning on his own, despite what coaches and mentors may have said, it is still his hands on the club. Removing the onus of individual achievement to that of consensus teamwork belie the fact of what individual talent and the gift is. A belief in yourself and the ability to realize this.

[QDP]

Part 2

I totally disagree about the claimed impact that coaching has. I believe either you have within yourself the ability to excel beyond what others do, -an inate, in-borne talent, or you do not. Especially in the Tennis world, where you are alone on court, do you see now the Rod Laver COACHING? Bjorn Bork? the Brat Pete Sampras, Federer? Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Conners all those who ranked second or more, but never really reached a perceived pinnacle, they can coach due to the impact of losing had. They do contribute immensely to the increased ability and belief of a player. But the best players, individually, are out there on their own. They do exceptional things because of their belief in themselves, not because this was taught. The ID and the EGO do not delve well together. Together they do fail so often and the coach is never blamed.

[QDP]

Part 3

Throughout history many of the best coached teams have lost, dismally, due to individual underachievement. Joe Torre with the Yankees, now with the Blue, is an example. A brilliant man statistical genius, however with a set of primadonna overpaid all stars, they all failed individually to live up to their challenge. Success to those individuals was about renumeration, not performance, that''s all. Steinbrenner gets what is his due, not because of management, administrative, coaching or mentoring, but due to the consensus of his effectiveness and lack of individual achievement and belief. The coach aspect was insignificant because individuals did not perform.

I predict, (so easy to do) that Tiger will win his next two entries. This is because oif the nature, (the individual) of his core being. Did you listen to him accepting the second best finish as a total meltdown? Do you understand exactly what this individual golfing genius said about himself ? " I made these mistakes. I deserved to lose. I was beaten." There is no blame, no scapegoat, just a hard, honest truth about something uncoached what he believes in. This success model was not coached into him, that is impossible, this is his core being. He excels because the thought of failure is not possible, with every swing he takes.

[Paul Walker]

If the teams lost, they were not coached well or they did not have the right people on the team ... nature and nurture is the best combination. It seems to me that you are not open to coaching, and so you project your belief system on this issue.